The Art of War - 12. The Attack by Fire

1. Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers
in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to
burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals
and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the
enemy.
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2. In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising
fire should always be kept in readiness.
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3. There is a proper season for making attacks with
fire, and special days for starting a
conflagration.
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4. The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in
the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the
Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of
rising wind.
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5. In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet five possible developments:
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6. (1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from
without.
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7. (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not
attack.
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8. (3) When the force of the flames has reached its
height, follow it up with an attack, if that is
practicable; if not, stay where you are.
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9. (4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for it to break out
within, but deliver your attack at a favorable
moment.
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10. (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.
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11. A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a night breeze soon falls.
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12. In every army, the five developments connected with fire must be known, the movements of the stars
calculated, and a watch kept for the proper days.
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13. Hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show
intelligence; those who use water as an aid to the attack gain
an accession of strength.
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14. By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted, but not robbed of all his belongings.
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15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without
cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is
waste of time and general stagnation.
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16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates
his resources.
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17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be
gained; fight not unless the position is critical.
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18. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should
fight a battle simply out of pique.
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19. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.
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20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content.
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21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead
ever be brought back to life.
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22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This
is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact. tweet